Mineral Resources Act 1989

If the holder of a prospecting permit or an expired prospecting permit makes application for a further prospecting permit, the chief executive may, instead of refunding the whole or part of the security deposited in respect of the existing or expired permit, retain that security or part thereof (together with any further security fixed by the chief executive) as the security (in which case it shall be taken to be or to be part of the security) deposited by the applicant in respect of the application for the further prospecting permit.